> The colonies are not well adapted to our particular flows, nor our winter so beginners generally sustain heavier losses or in many cases, total loss.....and the cycle repeats itself until the beekeepers either give up the hobby due to cost, or start realizing that local bees have a distinct survival advantage...

I disagree. I have used packages from CA and GA with good success and I have imported hundreds of queens from the South, Mississippi, Louisiana, California, Georgia and Florida with good success. I believe it is the beekeeper's failure to observe and care for that causes most of the failures. I have had total losses of yards that were 2nd or 3rd year hives. I attribute most of that to PPBK. Just my observations.

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